It’s V-day for the new Ronald Tutor Campus Center. The building, even before the opening of its doors to the public, has bagged a prestigious award. In short, USC’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified structure, owing to its exclusive environmentally-friendly design and construction, has earned a Green Building of America Award. What’s more, this achievement will be placed in the green success stories edition of the upcoming Southwest Real Estate & Construction Review.
There is no doubt that the concerned authority is enchanted and the statement of Patrick Bailey, Associate Dean and Executive Director of the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, expresses that. He said in a delighted tone, “It was really important to the students that the university look at green building and the type of carbon footprint we’re leaving.” “So I’m happy that we’ve been able to do that.”
It is to be noted that the main task of the LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is to upgrade construction projects that trim down negative environmental impacts of buildings and improve occupant health and well-being. In the Campus Center there is the presence of radiant heating in the outdoor plaza, easily reforested bamboo wood, trash compactors that separate out biodegradables and lighting with motion sensors and long-life bulbs.
On the other hand, owing to the drought-prone climate of Southern California, water-saving measures, including low-flow plumbing and an underground retention basin to capture rainfall, have been emphasized.
The average LEED-certified building saves 30 to 40 percent of energy use, cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 38 percent, creates 70 percent less solid waste and uses 40 percent less water. It has also been documented that students in green schools score higher on tests, and patients in green hospitals recover more quickly from illness and injury.
Ronald Tutor Campus Center meets every condition, it is needless to say.
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